The Way It Should Be
by Jaredsmyfave224
Summary: Emma finds out about how her dad really died and feels betrayed by everyone she thought were friends. When she finally sees her father again the reunion is a less than happy one. This is the fourth installment of the Dean and Emma series.
1. Chapter 1

A young blonde haired girl was sitting in front of a slate colored tombstone. "I miss you dad, so much." she said as a few tears fell down her face. She laid a bouquet of flowers in front of the grave. "I love you." she said, placing her hand on the cold tombstone, and running her fingers across the words "loving father, brother, and son" that were engraved on it. She looked at the name Dean Winchester, the dates January 24, 1979 - September 2, 2008 were written under it. A shadow was cast over her as if a man was standing behind her. The daylight suddenly turned dark and foggy, she turned around to see a man with yellow eyes staring at her. She jolted awake. "You ok?" Sam asked her, worried. Emma placed her hand on her forehead and slid it down her face, wiping away the cold sweat. "Yeah I'm fine." she sighed. "You sure?" Sam asked. "Yeah, I'm sure." Emma said, still a little dazed by her nightmare.

She turned around in her seat, opened the glove box, and pulled out Dean's collection of classic rock tapes and put the one labeled "Emma's mix" into the tape deck. Metallica's "Enter Sandman" started to play. Emma propped her elbow on the arm rest of the door and rested her head on her hand. Staring out the window her eyes were droopy and sad. She grasped her hand around the amulet on the string around her neck and held onto it. A couple tears fell down her face, but she wiped them quickly away before Sam saw them. Dean died when she was five, he was on a hunt and things didn't really go as planned. At least that's what Sam told her. Eleven years and Emma still didn't know how her father really died. Sam pulled into the parking lot of a motel and parked the impala. Emma went around back to the trunk and grabbed her bag out. After Sam got a room they took their bags in. Emma took the bed nearest to the far wall and set her bag on it. "You hungry?" Sam asked her, unpacking his clothes. "No not really" Emma said. While she was unpacking, a picture of her and Dean fell out of her bag. It was the picture of Dean holding her in his arms and she was giving him a kiss on the cheek. Her eyes were fixed on the picture she couldn't tear away from it. Sam looked over at her staring at the picture, he felt bad about Dean. He should have been able to get him out of his deal, Emma should have her father. He wanted to tell her but he knew what it would do to her, knowing that Dean died for her would devastate her. He knew it was best to keep it to himself no matter how much he wanted to tell her.

Sam had gone to get something to eat, since tomorrow was the date her fathers death, Emma decided to stay behind and take a trip down memory lane. She didn't have alot from her dad, she only knew him 5 years, but everything about him was still fresh in her mind. She had his jacket in her bag. After he died she slept with it every night for a year. She put the jacket up to her face and took a deep breath. She couldn't smell Dean on it anymore, which made her sad. Every year she took that jacket out, and every year the smell drifted even further away. She folded the jacket up and laid it on the bed next to her bag. Just as she set it on the bed Sam walked back into the room and had a take-out box in his hand. "I brought you some food if you get hungry." Sam said, setting the food on the table. "I haven't seen this in a while." Sam said, picking up Dean's jacket. Emma quickly grabbed it from him and held it close to her. "Sorry." Sam said, he was hurting too but he knew Emma was hurting alot more. He knew what losing your dad felt like, it took him back to when John died. His eyes dropped to a saddened stare. "I'm sorry. I just hate that he's not here." Emma said. "I know." Sam said with understanding eyes. "I'm gonna go to bed." Emma said. She packed everything, but Dean's jacket, back into her bag. She put the bag onto the floor, and crawled into bed hugging the jacket. Sam got into his bed and turned out the lights. Emma held the jacket close to her, tears were streaming down her face, and she tried to muffle them by burying her face into Dean's jacket. Sam could hear her sobs, he got up and sat on her bed and rubbed her back. "Em you ok?" Sam asked. "I just miss him so much." Emma said, sitting up on the bed her knees up to her chest. "I know you do, I miss him too." Sam said, a couple of tears had fallen down his face as well. "How exactly did it happen? The accident I mean." Emma asked Sam. Sam bowed his head down. "Uncle Sam what is it?" Emma asked, slightly confused. "Nothing, it's nothing." Sam said trying to get around the subject. "It apparently isn't." Emma said, she knew her uncle wasn't telling her something. "Your dad made me promise not to tell you." Sam said. "Tell me what?" Emma asked. A silence overcame the room "Uncle Sam!" Emma said, she was starting to get annoyed by her uncle. "Emma your dad made a deal." Sam said. "A deal? What do you mean?" Sam looked around the room, he couldn't look Emma in the eye with what he was about to tell her. "Dean made a deal for you Emma. Eleven years ago...you sighs... you died and your dad made a deal to bring you back. He got a year." Sam said, he was relieved that he finally told her the truth, but he felt guilty because he promised Dean he wouldn't. "I...died?" Emma said, she was more confused now than before. "And he brought me back? He traded his life for mine?!" Emma said, tears were falling down her face again. "He made me promise not to tell you." Sam said, putting his hand on her shoulder trying to comfort her. She brushed his hand away and got up off the bed. "He's been dead eleven years! And you never thought you should tell me this?!" Emma yelled at Sam. "He made me promise Emma! And I figured since it was his last wish that I'd honor it!" Sam yelled back. "You're not the only person who lost someone." Sam finished, his eyes had gone angry and sad. Emma's were the same way. "I need some fresh air." Emma said, grabbing the keys to the impala off the nightstand. "Emma where are you going?!" Sam said. "Away from here!" Emma said and slammed the door. Sam ran outside and saw Emma getting into the car "Emma!" Sam yelled running up to the car but she was speeding off. He kept sight of the car until it disappeared into the darkness.

Emma had driven for a couple miles and pulled off to the side of the road. She wiped away the tears from her eyes. She felt betrayed by her uncle, he should have told her about her dad. After Dean died Emma remembered everyone having a sad look on there faces, and how sorry they were about her dad. She remembered that she didn't really know what was going on, just that her dad wasn't there anymore. When it finally sank in that he was gone it was about a week after he died, and she cried because she wanted Dean with her. She took the necklace around her neck off and held it in her hand, looking at the golden amulet. Sam had given it to her when Dean died, it was a symbol of protection, she didn't see the point in it being a protection symbol, it didn't protect her dad. She put the necklace back around her neck and sighed. "I should be dead right now." Emma said to herself. "He should be here not me." she finished, wiping tears away. From what her uncle, Bobby, and Ellen had taught her about hunting over the years she knew what she could do to make everything right. Then it hit her...did Bobby and Ellen know too? Had everyone in her life been lying to her? She was a little dazed at this thought. "They had to of known." Emma whispered to herself, she sat up in her seat and gripped the steering wheel tight with one hand. "How could they do that?" she asked herself. Her tears had stopped she was now mad at the people she thought were her family and friends, these were people she trusted, and they kept this from her for over a decade. She put the car in drive and started on the road again.

Emma had been driving all night before she finally pulled into a familiar drive way. She walked up to the door and knocked. Bobby answered the door "Emma?" he said, surprised that she was on his doorstep. "Sam has been worried sick about you." Bobby said to Emma as she walked in. "Did you know?" Emma asked, her eyes were tired, angry, and sad all at once. Bobby lowered his head. "Did you?" Emma asked again, her eyebrows lowered, trying to stare down Bobby. "Yeah I did." Bobby finally replied. "I can't believe this." Emma said, taking a seat on Bobby's couch. "Your dad made us promise." Bobby said. "I don't give a damn what he made you promise Bobby! Someone should have told me!" Emma yelled at him. "Don't you get that attitude with me! Dean was like a son to me I had to keep my word to him!" Bobby said. "In case you hadn't noticed, he's not here. Whatever promise you made him...died when he did." Emma said, her voice was shaky, tears had welled up in her eyes but she was fighting them both. "Emma there is alot about this you don't understand, things you don't remember..." "Of course I don't remember them Bobby, I was five! He was my dad, and the fact that my family and friends have been keeping this from me...it hurts, it does. I can't believe I ever trusted any of you." Emma said, walking out and slamming the door. Bobby picked up the phone and dialed Sam.

"Emma?" Sam said, answering his phone. "No Sam, it's Bobby. Emma was just here." Bobby said. "Was she ok?" Sam asked, worried. "Other than yelling at me, she seemed fine." Bobby said sarcastically. "Do you know where she went?" Sam asked. "No she stormed out. Sam why did you tell her?" Bobby asked, wondering why he broke his promise to Dean. "I didn't mean to. The tension with it being the anniversary of his death just kinda coaxed it out." Sam said. "I feel like I betrayed him Bobby. I shouldn't of told her." Sam finished. "Listen I'm gonna go see if I can track her down. I'll call you if I find her." Bobby said. "Ok thanks Bobby." Sam said, hanging up. Bobby headed outside to his truck, started it, and pulled out of his driveway, going after Emma.

Night had fallen and Emma had parked the impala once again. This time at a crossroads. She took a deep breath then got out of the impala. She went around to the trunk and prepared a box filled with all the things to summon a crossroads demon. She finally put a picture of herself in the box and went and buried it at the center of the crossroads. She stood up, very nervous as to what was about to happen. "Can I help you?" the demon said, a tall dark haired man was standing before her, dressed in a black suit. Emma was silent for a second, trying to think about what she was going to do. "I haven't got all day sweetheart." the demon said. Emma sighed. "Can you bring my dad back?" Emma asked. "That depends..." "On what?" Emma asked. "Who is your father?" the demon asked. "Dean Winchester." Emma replied. "You're a Winchester?" the demon said, sounding surprised. "Does that surprise you?" Emma asked. "Actually yes. But I won't go into that. I take it you want him back here with you and you want the 10 years?" the demon said. "That's what I was thinking." Emma said. "Fine, but here's the thing, you try to welch or weasel your way out...he drops dead, he's back to rotten meat in no time. We have a deal?" the demon said. "Deal." Emma said sealing it with a kiss.

The demon disappeared and Emma was alone. She took a deep breath once again. She didn't know what she had just gotten herself into. "Excuse me." Emma heard a familiar voice call. She was afraid to turn around. "Um excuse me, lady?" Emma turned around, hoping Dean would recognize her. Dean cocked his head to the side and looked at her. "Have we met before?" Dean asked. Emma didn't know what to say, she was still in awe that her father was standing in front of her, alive and well. "I think we have." Emma said, a smile had overcome her face. Dean was getting a little creeped out, then he spotted the impala. "Is that my car?" Dean asked. Emma didn't really know what to say. "Why do you have my car?" Dean asked her. "Oh um, I know your brother. He's helping me out on a hunt and I drove out here to do some research." Emma quickly replied, glad she came up with a convincing story. "You know where Sam is?" Dean perked up. "Yeah. Like I said me and him are working a hunt." Emma said. "Did he have a little girl with him?" Dean asked. Emma stopped for a second trying to think about what she was going to say then "Emma?" she replied. "Yeah." Dean said, with a sigh of relief. "I can drive you back to the motel if you want?" Emma said. "Yeah that be great." Dean didn't care that a stranger was going to drive his car. He happily got into the passenger's seat. Emma started the car and they pulled onto the road. "So what's your name anyway?" Dean asked. Emma didn't know what to say. "Ash." she said, it was the first thing that popped into her head. "Ash?" Dean said. "Uh yeah, short for Ashley." Emma said. "Oh." Dean said, he turned on the radio to dissipate the awkward silence.

It was a few hours of driving before they got back to the motel. They both got out of the car "Um could you wait here for a second?" Emma said. "Why?" Dean asked. "Because I have to go tell Sam and Emma you're here." Emma said. Dean was still confused but he decided to wait, even though he was suspicious of "Ash" . Emma went inside "Emma!" Sam said getting up and hugging her. "Where the hell have you been?" Sam asked. "Ok first off I really don't want you to get mad..." Emma said. "Mad at what?" Sam asked, scared of what Emma was going to say. "Actually I think it'd be better if I showed you." Emma said. "Wait here." she said, then walked out the door. She motioned for Dean to go inside. "Aren't you coming?" Dean asked. "No I think it'd be better if I stayed out here." Emma said. "Ok." Dean said then went inside. Emma rubbed her tired eyes, waiting for her dad and uncle to figure out what she had done.

Dean walked into the room. Sam looked at him and thought he was just so tired from worrying about Emma that he was seeing things. "Sammy." Dean said, going and hugging his brother. Dean stepped back and saw his brother wasn't as enthusiastic as he was. "What's with you? You look like you've seen a ghost." Dean said sarcastically. "How did you get here?" Sam asked, still wondering if he was really seeing his brother, or if something in his brain had finally snapped and he was hallucinating "Um that blonde chick outisde brought me here, Ash I think's her name." Dean said. "So you and her, are you, you know...together? Cause dude she looks like a teenager and that's even a little creepy for me." Dean asked, cocking his eyebrows. "God no!" Sam quickly replied, realizing who he was talking about. "Ok I'm dealing with a, clearly, touchy subject. So where's Em?" Dean asked. Sam didn't say anything. "Why don't you ask her." Sam said, pointing to Emma who had just walked in. Dean was still very confused as to what was going on. "You didn't tell him did you?" Sam said, his eyebrows had lowered. He was scared because he didn't know what stupid thing Emma had done to bring Dean back. "Ok seriously, the two of you are starting to creep me out, and where the hell is Emma!" Dean said, he was getting annoyed that his brother wasn't telling him anything. Emma looked down at the floor. Then back up at Dean "I am Emma. Dad it's me." Emma said. Dean just looked at her like she was crazy, and then looked at Sam. "Sammy what the hell is she talking about?" Dean said. "Dean, she's telling the truth." Sam said. Dean could always tell when Sam was lying, and this wasn't one of them. He looked at Emma then back at Sam. Then sat on the bed. "What year is it?" Dean asked, resting his head in his hands. "It's 2019, Dean." Sam said, trying to break the news as gentle as possible. Everything started to flood back to him. "Why am I here? I died." Dean said. "I'm still trying to figure that one out." Sam said, looking at Emma. Dean had lifted his head up out of his hands and looked at Emma too. "What did you do?" Dean asked Emma. He finally realized where he found her, at a crossroads. "Emma, please tell me you didn't make deal." Dean asked her. Emma dropped her eyes to the floor. "Emma!" Dean yelled at her, trying to get a response. She jolted her head up. "How long did you get?" Dean asked. "Ten years." Emma replied. Dean got that same feeling when Emma died in his arms. "How could you be that stupid?" Dean said then walked out the door. Emma was on the brink of tears "Emma, I have to agree with him. This is the stupidest thing you've ever done." Sam said, then went out the door after Dean. The tears Emma had been trying to fight back finally fell down her face.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam followed Dean outside. "Why would she do this?! I mean it's been 11 years you think she would have at least coped with it by now!" Dean said, he was angry at Emma, and Sam for not stopping her from making the deal. "Wait a minute..." Dean said, turning around a facing Sam. "Did you tell her?!" Dean asked. "Dean you have to understand..." Sam started "It's a simple question Sam...yes or no?!" Dean asked, he was getting alot angrier at Sam. "Yeah I told her." Sam said, not being able to look Dean in the eye. "Sam you promised you wouldn't tell her! I thought a promise meant something in this family!." Dean said. "Well Dean I seem to remember a time you broke a promise to me!" Sam said. "Don't even go back to that! It's not the same and you know it!" Dean said. Both brothers were just as angry with themselves as they were each other, and Emma. "It was still a promise." Sam said. "Well look at this Sam, eleven years and you haven't gone evil yet! So what exactly was the point of that promise?!" Dean said. "You know what Dean maybe you should go to hell! Oh wait I mean...back to hell." Sam said. Dean was just about ready to punch his brother but he decided to go inside and talk to Emma. "Dean!" Sam said, immediately regretting his remark "Save it Sam!" Dean said, then went inside.  
Dean walked into the hotel room and saw Emma sitting on the end of the bed, her knees were curled up to her chest, and tears falling down her face. She turned her head and saw Dean standing there. She wiped away her tears, although it didn't do much good her eyes were still red and puffy. She turned her head back around, while she hadn't seen her dad in eleven years she had had enough of him for one night. Dean didn't know what to say to her. He couldn't blame her for what she did, he had had the thought of making a deal to bring John back. He understood what she felt like, the guilt, the knot in your stomach that doesn't go away. He hated that he had put that on her, he was just as bad as own father.

He walked up to Emma and put his hand on her shoulder. She quickly brushed it away and got off the bed, her arms crossed across her chest. She couldn't look at her father, her eyes were tired and sad. Dean walked closer to her and she took a couple steps back. Dean sighed. "I don't really know what I can say to make up for any of this. But you are my daughter and I will do anything for you. That's why I made the deal so you could live your life. I couldn't let you die Emma and I will stop at nothing to get you out of this deal, I can't let you die again." Dean said, his eyes were just as sad as Emma's. "Do you think I can lose you again?" Emma said, tears were in her eyes. "Cause I can't...I won't." Emma said tears falling down her now. She hugged her father. Emma buried her face into Dean's shoulder, Dean stroked the back of her head trying to calm her down. "You know when you were little, every time you were upset. Ice cream would always make you feel better. I mean even at three a.m. if you had a nightmare me and you would pack up into the impala and go get some ice cream." Dean said. "I miss that." Emma said, she lifted her head off of Dean's shoulder. There was a second of silence "You wanna go get some ice cream?" Emma asked. "Yeah." Dean said. Him and Emma walked out of the motel room.

Sam was sitting on the steps his head rested in his hands. "Hey geekboy, why don't you come and get some ice cream with us?" Dean said in that cocky way of his. Sam just laughed and the three Winchesters piled into the impala.

It was pretty silent at the Dairy Queen, the only sound was the sound of the storm raging outside. None of the Winchesters were able to look each other in the eye. Dean figured he'd break the ice, awkwardness wasn't really something he liked to deal with, especially when it came to his own family. "So, how have the past eleven years been treating you guys?" Dean asked. Sam and Emma lifted their heads from their bowls of ice cream and looked at Dean. "Good" Sam said, Emma was still a little on the quiet side. "So Em, has your uncle been taking care of you?" Dean asked, taking a bite of his ice cream. "Yeah." Emma said taking a bite of her ice cream as well. "Can I be excused?" Emma asked, getting up from the table, and walked off. "I'll go talk to her." Dean said, starting to get up. "No let me." Sam said stopping him. "Sam i'm her father I think I can talk to her." Dean said. "No Dean I don't think you can, that stupid kid stuff that used to work Dean doesn't work anymore. She's not five." Sam said. "I know that, i'm not an idiot." Dean said, trying to walk past Sam, but he wouldn't let him. "Dean i'm serious let me." Sam said. Dean could see that Sam wasn't going to give up, so he backed off. "Fine." Dean said. Sam went to talk to Emma.

Emma was sitting in a corner, out of sight from the main part of the restaurant. Here knees were curled up to her chest, and her elbows were resting on them with her face sunk between them. "You ok?" Sam asked, coming around the corner. Emma lifted her head and looked at her uncle. "I just wanted it to be the same. I wanted to have a family again." Emma said. Sam crouched down in front of her and wiped the tears from her cheek "I know." Sam said. "How stupid is that?! That I could think everything would be the same it was before he died." Emma said. "It's not stupid Em, it's just going to take a while for you guys to get to know each other again." Sam said. "Why did you have to tell me?" Emma asked. "Eleven years of guilt just got to me I guess." Sam said. "You should of just kept your mouth shut." Emma said, she got up and ran out of the Dairy Queen. Dean looked as she ran past him. Sam stopped at the table, him and Dean exchanged a look and then both ran after her. Dean took off after Emma as she ran into the parking lot. Sam stopped after Dean reached her. "Emma what is going on?!" Dean asked her, worried about his daughter. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything!" Emma said, tears were now like Niagara Falls running down her face, although it was hard to tell with all the rain. "For what?" Dean asked her. "For making the deal, for the fact that you've been dead the past eleven years! I'm sorry for all of it!" Emma said. "It's not your fault." Dean said. "Yes it is." Emma said. "No it's not, it was my choice to make that deal for you. My choice! You didn't make me do it." Dean said. "If it wasn't for me you would have been here. If it wasn't for me you would..." Emma started but Dean interrupted. "Would what? Huh, I would have been living a miserable life Emma. If I had stood by and done nothing and let you die, trust me both of us would be dead right now." Dean said. Emma couldn't think of anything to say back. She just dropped to her knees in tears. Dean crouched down and held her in a hug. "It's ok." Dean said. "It's ok." Dean repeated.

The Winchesters got back to the motel and realized that there were only two beds. "I'll go grab another room." Dean said. "No, um i'm not really not that tired. I'm just gonna grab a shower and probably play around on the computer." Emma said. "You sure?" Sam asked. "We can get another room no problem." Dean said. "Yeah, i'm sure." Emma said. Emma went into the bathroom, Dean and Sam heard the shower turn on. "She sure is a pistol isn't she." Dean said, sitting down on the bed. "Yeah." Sam said "She has been ok right? I mean please tell me she hasn't been this depressed about my death for eleven years." Dean said. "She hasn't Dean. Its just this time of year with your death and all makes it a rough time for her. And then you being alive can't really make things easier. It's just gonna take some time Dean." Sam said. "Yeah ten years." Dean said, his faced dropped to frown. "We're gonna get her out of the deal Dean." Sam said. "Sam you couldn't get me out of mine. What if we can't get her out of her deal?" Dean asked. "We will Dean." Sam said, trying to re-assure him. "Yeah." Dean said, not quite believing Sam. "I'm gonna go to sleep." Dean said, rolling over in the bed. "Yeah me too." Sam said, he got into his bed, and turned out the light. It was twenty minutes later when Emma got out of the shower. She walked out of the bathroom in a towel "You could of at least left the light on." she said, she walked over to the lamp in between her uncle's and dad's beds and turned on the lamp. She grabbed her bag and went back into the bathroom. This time she came out in a pair of black AC/DC pajama pants and a Rolling stones t-shirt. She set her bag on the floor next to the table and opened up the laptop. She didn't really feel like getting on the internet, but it was something to pass the time.

Sam opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, the first thought that went through his head was: _Did what happen yesterday really happen?_. He threw the blanket off himself and sat on the edge of the bed rubbing his eyes. He looked over his shoulder at the bed across from his and saw Dean rolling over in the bed, then looked over at the table and saw Emma, her head resting on the computer keyboard. He got off the bed and walked towards the bathroom. Walking past Emma he glanced at the computer, which was still on, and was quite shocked at what he saw on the screen. He gently slid the laptop out from under Emma's head and took a seat in the chair opposite her, setting the laptop in front of him. The word program on the computer and the page was titled _Things I Want To Do Before I Die_. There was a list of things Emma wanted to do in her last ten years written under it. Graduation and Prom were listed under the _Wants_ part of the list. The second part of the list was titled _Things That I Won't Be Able To Do Before I Die_. This list was alot longer than the first one.  
Marriage, Children, Living in a real house, No grandkids for Dean.  
Sam was saddened by the list, he hated that Emma only had ten years left to live. The _Never_ list really tore him up, he wanted Emma to have everything on that list. He had to get her out of the deal, for her and Dean. Even if it meant him dying in the process. He looked over at Dean and then back at the computer. He decided that telling Dean could only hurt him. He saved the list and closed it. Then put the laptop next to Emma. He sighed then went into the bathroom to get dressed.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey Bobby." Sam said "Just calling to tell you Emma came back. We're gonna drop by your place we uh need your help with something. Bye." Sam left Bobby the message then threw his bag in the trunk of the impala. Emma came up behind him, threw her bag in, then got into the backseat. Dean went around to the back of the impala. "How do you think Bobby's gonna take it?" Dean asked. "I don't know." Sam replied. "You ok?" Dean asked his little brother. "Yeah i'm fine." Sam said. Dean gave Sam an _I know your lying look_. "Would ya stop!" Sam said "Ok then." Dean said throwing his hands in the air with a small laugh "Don't be a smartass" Sam said, playfully punching Dean in the arm. Sam closed the trunk then proceeded to the driver's side of the impala. "Dude!" Dean said. "What?" Sam asked. "My car remember?" Dean said. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." Sam said, rolling his eyes, and tossing Dean the keys. Dean got behind the wheel, and Sam took the passenger's seat. Emma reached over the seat, between Dean and Sam, and over to the glove box. She pulled out the tape labeled _Emma's Mix_ and put it into the tape deck. "I remember that." Dean said taking the case from Emma. "Yeah. You made it for me before..." Emma stopped "Well you know." she finished. She looked tired and her eyes were sad. Sam and Dean both hated seeing her like this. Sam was still trying to figure out what he should do about the list Emma made. He didn't quite know how to confront her about it, or just forget he ever saw it. He sighed and looked in the rearview mirror at Emma. She has a sudoku book in her hand, and was tapping the pen on the paper in beat to the music. Dean cranked the impala, and they started on the road to Bobby's.

Night had fallen by the time they got to Bobby's. Dean parked the impala in front of the house, turned around in his seat, and looked at Emma. She was curled up in the seat, asleep, the sudoku book had fallen onto the floor. "I forgot riding in this thing would put her to sleep." Dean said moving a couple strands of hair out of her face. "After you died this was the only thing that would put her to sleep. I'd drive around for hours until she finally dozed off." Sam said, a smile crossed his face. "You did a good job Sam." Dean said. "What?" Sam asked, not quite understanding what Dean had said. "Raising her. I just uh wanna thank you for that." Dean said. "Your welcome." Sam said "Dean I know what you're thinking." Sam said. "And what would that be?" Dean asked. "You're thinking I took your place." Sam said. Dean lowered his eyes to the floor of the impala. "Dean, I didn't. I could never take your place. No matter what she has always called me her uncle, not her dad. Her dad is you Dean, and no one else." Sam said. Dean didn't really say anything. There was an awkward silence between him and Sam then "Come on, let's go talk to Bobby." Dean said. Him and Sam got out of the car, deciding not to wake Emma. They went up to the door, Dean hesitated before he knocked. Bobby opened the door, then froze when he saw Dean. "Hey Bobby." Dean said. "Hey Bobby." Sam said. Bobby still didn't know what to say, but he noticed Emma wasn't with them. "Where's Emma?" he asked. "She's asleep in the car." Sam said. "Well come on in." Bobby said still in disbelief that Dean was standing at his doorstep. After he ushered Dean and Sam in "I'm just gonna cut to the chase...why the hell are here?" Bobby asked Dean. "That's kinda what we need your help with Bobby." Sam said. "Emma made a deal. She got ten years." Dean said. "And we need your help to get her out of it." Sam finished. "Boys, I don't know what I can do. I mean we couldn't get Dean out of his deal. I don't know if..." Bobby was interrupted "Bobby, we have ten years. I think we can come up with something." Dean said, he heard the sound of a coffee pot finish brewing. "You mind?" Dean asked, pointing to the coffee machine. "No, help yourself." Bobby said. Dean went into the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of coffee.  
"You failed to mention your brother was back from the dead in you message Sam." Bobby said. "I didn't really know how to tell your, and I didn't think over the phone was the way to do it." Sam said. "Well you are right about that. So how's Emma holding up?" Bobby asked. "She's doing fine. At least I think she is." Sam said. "What do you mean?" Bobby asked. Sam looked into the kitchen o see if Dean was coming back, all he saw was Dean rummaging through the cabinets looking for something to eat to go with his coffee. "Come here." Sam pulled Bobby over to the table, out of Dean's sight, and pulled out his laptop. He opened Emma's list and showed it to Bobby. "Have you told Dean?" Bobby asked. "No, not yet. Emma doesn't even know I read it." Sam said. "Read what?" Dean asked, walking into the room with a cup of coffee and a sandwich. Sam quickly closed the laptop "Nothing." he said, trying to sound convincing. Dean cocked his head to the side and looked at Sam then at Bobby. He was too tired to argue with either of them so he sat down at the table and took a bite of his sandwich.

It was around 2:00am when Emma walked into the house. Sam, Dean, and Bobby all went silent. Emma stopped and looked at them, then went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. The only sound in the house was Emma rummaging through the cabinets looking for a cup. After she fixed her coffee, she went back into the living room and sat down at the table with Bobby, Sam, and Dean. "What?" Emma said, breaking the silence. The three of them went back to talking "So Bobby what were you saying?" Sam asked. "Oh um, I was saying that maybe going back to the crossroads and asking the demon to revoke the deal?" Bobby said. "That sounds like our only plan." Dean said "No." Emma said. "Emma, i'm not really seeing another option here." Dean said. "Well i'm not going to let you get me out of this deal unless you come out of it alive too." Emma said. "How can you be so damn stubborn." Dean said. "Gee, wonder where I get it from?" Emma said. Dean and Emma were bother staring at each other, they were both intent on getting their way. "Bobby ya got anymore ideas?" Dean asked. "We'll have to do some research. Look at things we didn't look at before, it could take a while." Bobby said. "Well we got ten years to look, and if we don't find anything...well that's that." Emma said. "Em don't talk like that." Sam said "Like what? Uncle Sam, it's the truth you all know it. I'm gonna die, and you can't stop it." She got up and went into the kitchen, Sam went after her. "What is your problem?! All we're trying to do is help you!" Sam yelled at her. "I don't want your help! Don't you get that! I just want to live my last ten years without that constant reminder that the rest of my life is a countdown! I have ten years uncle Sam, deal with it!" Emma said. As she was walking away "I saw the list Emma!" Sam called to her. Emma stopped dead in her tracks, and turned around to face her uncle. "I don't know what our talking about." Emma said, trying to convince Sam otherwise. "Yes you do Em." Sam said, softening his voice "So, what about it?" Emma said. Dean had gotten up and was standing in the doorway behind Emma, listening to the conversation. "What list?" Dean asked. Sam and Emma looked at him, but didn't answer. "What list?!" Dean said, raising his voice. "The list I made last night." Emma said. "Can I see it?" Dean asked. "I didn't save it." Emma said, thinking she lucked out. "I did." Sam said, Emma glared at him "Go get the computer." Dean said. Emma cowered her head down as she walked past Dean into the living room. Dean and Sam stayed in the kitchen. Sam kept his head turned away from Dean, and continued to shift his eyes to avoid eye contact. Emma came back into the room, laptop in hand. She set it on the counter, and Sam opened the list on the screen. Emma hung her head, not looking at Dean or Sam. "We're going to the crossroads." Dean said after reading the list. "What?!" Emma said, following Dean into the other room. "You heard me. Get in the car." Dean said, packing up the papers on the table. "No." Emma said "I said get in the car." Dean said "Yeah and I said no." Emma said back. Dean and Emma both were glaring at each other. "Ok break it up." Bobby said getting in between them. Sam pulled Emma away, but she threw his arms off of her and stormed out the door.

"Dean this has gotta stop!" Bobby said, holding Dean by the shoulder, keeping him from running after Emma. "Get off me Bobby." Dean said. "No, you need to stop. I understand that you want her out of this deal, but being an ass about it isn't going to help anything." Bobby said. "Bobby...get off me." Dean said, pushing Bobby's hands off him, and heading for the door. Bobby and Sam followed Dean outside. "Where's the car?" Dean asked, stopping when he saw the car wasn't where he parked it. "She doesn't even have the keys!: Dean said. "She knows how to hotwire a car." Sam said. "You taught her how to hotwire a car?" Dean said, "Does it really matter tight now!?" Sam said. "Come on get in the truck, she couldn't have gotten far." Bobby said. The three of them loaded into Bobby's truck and took off after Emma.

It was a few minutes before they finally caught up to the impala. They were up to 100 miles an hour, and kept climbing "How far do you think she's gonna go before she stops?" Dean asked. "I hope she stops soon, this road is a dead end!" Bobby said. "Honk the horn!" Sam said. Bobby pushed the horn fives times in attempt to get Emma to pull over. Emma looked in the rearview mirror and saw Dean, Sam, and Bobby signaling for her to pull over. She ignored them, and pushed the gas pedal to the floor. "She's speeding up!" Dean said, he reached over and honked the horn a few more times. Bobby hit the breaks so they wouldn't hi the dead end, but Emma didn't stop. They heard the tires screech and then a loud crash "No!" Dean yelled. He got out of the car and darted for the totaled impala. The front end was crushed and Emma's head was slumped against the broken window frame. Sam and Dean pried the door open and Emma fell out into Dean's arms. Blood was covering half her face where she was cut from the glass. "No, no, no. Emma wake up!" Dean said, patting her on the cheek trying to wake her. "Sam call 911!" Dean yelled to his brother. Sam pulled out his phone. Bobby kneeled down and checked Emma's pulse. "She's alive!" Bobby said. Emma opened her eyes, Dean and Bobby both could see she was weak. "Baby, you gotta stay with me. Just keep your eyes open." Dean said, he couldn't lose Emma again, he couldn't let her die in his arms again. "The ambulance is on it's way!" Sam said, running up to Emma and Dean. "Oh God." Sam said, getting a closer look at his niece. He pushed the stray hair out of her face so he could see her better. "Ow." she said as Sam moved her hair. "Sorry." Sam said "Everything's gonna be ok just keep your eyes open ok." Sam said "I can't." Emma said, her eyes were starting to droop closed. "Emma!" Dean yelled at her. Her eyes jolted open but then back to a weakened stare. They could hear the sound of the ambulance sirens in the distance. "You hear that? Your gonna be ok. Just hang in there." Dean said, talking to Emma trying to keep her awake. The ambulance pulled up, and got out a stretcher. "What happened?" the EMT asked, putting a neck brace around Emma's neck. "She uh was speeding and we couldn't get her to stop. That's when she hit the dead end." Dean explained. The EMT's got Emma on to a stretcher. "I can only take one of you in the ambulance. Who's gonna ride with her?" the EMT asked. Dean and Sam looked at each other. "He is." Sam said pointing to Dean. "No, he is." Dean said to Sam. "Well come on we need to get her to the hospital." the EMT said. Sam followed them to the ambulance and climbed in. he grabbed a hold of Emma's hand. "It's gonna be ok." Sam said, trying to comfort her. The ambulance sped off. Dean stood up half of him was covered in blood where Emma was resting in his arms. "She's going to be ok." Bobby said Dean just stood there, watching the ambulance lights disappear into the darkness. "Come on let's go." Dean said, finally breaking his attention from the ambulance. He got into the driver's seat of Bobby's truck and cranked it. Bobby quickly got in before Dean left him there. Dean punched the gas and sped off towards the hospital.


	4. Chapter 4

It was the longest twenty minutes of Dean's life, as he raced to the hospital. He swerved into a parking space and ran inside. He saw Sam sitting in the waiting room; he jumped up when he saw Dean. "Sam!" Dean yelled from across the room, relieved to see his brother. Sam's eyes were all red and puffy, this scared Dean, he didn't want to think the worst, but it was the one thing that was racing through his mind. "Is she ok?" Dean finally blurted out. "I don't know. She's in surgery." Sam said. Dean ran his hand through his hair, and sat down, trying to take it all in. "I'm gonna go grab some coffee. God knows we're gonna need it." Bobby said, heading towards the vending machines. "She's gonna be ok isn't she Dean?" Sam asked, looking to his brother for the re-assurance he always gave him in times of crisis. "Yeah Sammy she's gonna be ok." Dean said, trying to believe the words coming out of his mouth. After a few minutes of awkward silence which Sam finally broke "So why didn't you ride in the ambulance?" Dean didn't know how to answer the question "Because if she died..." Dean sighed "I couldn't watch her die again. I just couldn't." Dean said. Sam looked at him solemnly, understanding what he meant. "Here." Bobby said, handing each of them a cup of coffee. "Thanks Bobby." Sam said, taking a sip. Dean didn't say much he just kept staring down at the floor, and taking a few sips of coffee. "Sam you have your laptop?" Dean finally spoke. "I left it on the truck, why?" Sam asked. "We could use this waiting time to our advantage." Dean said, getting up and walking towards the door. "Dean!" Sam said "What?" Dean said "Could you just stop for a second. This is not the time to be trying to figure out how to get Emma out of her deal!" Sam said. Dean glared at his brother. "She doesn't need this stress on her right now, and neither do you." he finished. "I can't just sit here and do nothing Sam." Dean said, trying not to show how much he was hurting. Dean continued to the truck. "He doesn't get it." Sam said. "I mean it's his fault she's in here in the first place! If he had just backed off..."Sam was interrupted "Do you blame him Sam? That's his daughter, and she's going to die in ten years because of him if he doesn't do something." Bobby said. "She could die right now because of him." Sam said then walked away, to prevent himself from saying something he might regret.

Dean and Bobby hadn't seen Sam for a couple hours. Dean was too tired to care at this point, he looked at his watch, and it was 5:10am. Emma has been in surgery for over two and a half hours. Sam finally came back into the waiting room "Where the hell have you been?" Dean asked, not lifting his head from the laptop screen. "I just went for walk." Sam said taking a seat. Dean closed the laptop and set in the seat between him and Sam. He looked at Bobby and motioned his head telling him to leave. "I'm gonna go get some more coffee." Bobby said getting up. Dean waited until he was gone to talk to Sam. "Bobby told me what you said. Do you really think this is my fault Sam?" Dean asked, hurt by what his brother had said behind his back. "I don't know, you tell me." Sam said. "I don't know what's running through your head Sam, but how could you think this is my fault?" Dean asked. "Because it is your fault. If you hadn't been yelling at her, and been insisting on getting your way she wouldn't have taken off!" Sam yelled at Dean. "You know Sam if you really wanna see whose fault this is why don't you look in a mirror. You're the one who told her the secret, you're the one who brought all of this back up. If you had just left it well enough alone none of this would have happened. You can blame me as much as you want, but you know whose fault this really is." Dean said.  
"Are you the Winchesters?" a doctor said walking into the room. "Yeah." Dean said. Him and Sam forgot all about their argument and walked over to him. "I'm Doctor Baker, Emma's surgeon." he said "How is she?" Sam asked. The doctor sighed, Dean and Sam feared the worst. "She's suffered from three broken ribs, multiple cuts and bruises, and a collapsed lung. We were able to repair the lung but she wasn't quite able to breathe on her own we have her on a respirator until further notice and she shows signs of improved health." Doctor Baker said. "But she's going to be ok right?" Dean asked. "It's really too early to tell but if she can get breathing on her own I'd say the outcome's pretty good." Doctor Baker said. "You can go see her now. She's in ICU room 401." he said "Ok thanks." Dean and Sam rushed for the room.

Dean was afraid to open the door to Emma's room. He remembered last time she was in the hospital, he could barely stand seeing her like that, and he wasn't ready to go through it again. "You coming in?" Sam asked. "Yeah just give me a second." Dean said, taking a deep breath. "Ok." Sam said, going in to the room. Before the door closed all the way Sam came back out "Um Dean...I'm sorry those things I said back there I didn't mean them I was just angry." Sam said. "Yeah me too." Dean said. Sam sighed and then went back into Emma's room. Dean looked through the window at Sam and saw him sitting there talking to Emma. She was unconscious and had numerous tubes and machines hooked up to her. "You have to do this." Dean whispered to himself. He took another deep breath then went inside. He took a seat in the chair on the opposite side of the bed. She looked so innocent. Like she was having a good dream that she wouldn't want to wake up from. Dean felt useless not being able to help her. Sam felt the same way. He felt responsible for what had happened he knew Dean was right even though he apologized for what he said. _If it wasn't for me Emma would be ok right now, Dean would be dead, and everything would be ok. I caused everyone this pain and heartache._ Sam thought to himself. "I have to fix this." Sam mumbled, getting out of his chair. "Where are you going?" Dean asked. Sam ignored Dean and walked out. Dean didn't know where Sam was going but he wanted to stay with Emma.

Sam passed Bobby in the halls "Where are you going?" Bobby asked him. "To make this right." Sam said. "What the hell are you talking about?" Bobby asked "It's my fault all of this happened, and I have to fix it." Sam said, continuing to walk down the hall. Bobby stepped in front of Sam. "What are you going to do?" Bobby asked. "I don't know, but I have to do something." Sam said. "I'm coming with you." Bobby said. "No, your not." Sam said. "Yeah, I am. You don't have a car so whatever stupid thing your about to do is going to take a hell of a lot longer without a car." Bobby said. Sam didn't want Bobby to come but he knew he was right, and he didn't have the time to hotwire a car. "Fine." Sam caved. "But don't tell Dean." Sam finished. They headed out for Bobby's truck.

Emma slowly opened her eyes. She squinted, not used to the light. She could feel the respirator tube in her throat, and all the machines hooked up to her. She glanced over at Dean, who was staring out the window, his hands in his pockets. Emma tried to get comfortable in the bed, but no luck. It was difficult, and painful to move, so she stopped. Dean heard the sound of her moving in the bed and turned around. Emma quickly shut her eyes, scared that Dean would be mad at her for taking off and being so reckless. Dean saw this "Emma I know your awake." he said walking over to the bed. Emma blinked her eyes open, still not used to the light. "How ya feelin?" Dean asked, taking a seat in the chair next to Emma's bed, he didn't realize Emma couldn't talk. "Sorry." he said. He grabbed the dry erase board the hospital left and gave it to Emma. "Hurts." she wrote slowly, looking like she was in pain. "You're going to be ok Em." Dean said, moving her bangs out of her face. Emma winced when he touched her face. "Sorry." Dean apologized again. Emma slowly wrote on the board again "Sam?" she wrote, wondering where her uncle was. "I don't know. Come to mention it I haven't seen Bobby either. Not for hours." Dean said, trying to figure out what Sam and Bobby were up to. "Sorry." Emma wrote on the board. "For what?" Dean asked. "Car" Emma wrote. "It's ok. I'd rather have you in one piece than that stupid car." Dean smiled. Emma half smiled back and closed her eyes in exhaustion, then opened them only half way "Why don't you get some rest ok." Dean said. Emma attempted to nod but was too weak, she drifted off to sleep. After Dean was sure she was asleep he went outside to call Sam.

Dean scrolled through the phone book on his phone and dialed Sam. "Hey this is Sam. Leave a message." Dean listened to the message then hung up the phone. _Why would he have his phone off?_ Dean thought. He then scrolled through his phone book for Bobby's number and dialed.

Bobby's phone began to ring. "Don't answer that." Sam said putting his hand on Bobby's phone. "Why?" Bobby asked, taking his phone out from under Sam's hand. "It's Dean." Bobby said. "Bobby, please don't answer that." Sam said. "Hey Dean." Bobby said, answering the phone before Sam could grab it from him. Sam glared at him. "Where's Sam?" Dean asked Bobby. "Um..." Bobby said looking over at Sam, who was signaling him not to tell Dean what he was up to. "No I haven't seen him." Bobby said. "Cut the crap Bobby. I know you know where he is. I haven't seen both for you for an about an hour." Dean said, getting more and more agitated. It was silent on Bobby's end of the phone. "Well if you do see him, tell him that Emma woke up and was wondering where the two of you were." Dean said then hung up. He rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up, then went back up to Emma's room. As he was walking in the doctor was walking out. "Is she ok?" Dean asked. "The fact that she has woken up this early is a good sign. We're going to continue to monitor her for the next few days." Doctor Baker said. "Ok thanks doc." Dean said, then continued into Emma's room. He took his seat next to Emma's bedside once again, and sat there, watching her sleep. He was wondering what Sam and Bobby were up to, and kept replaying what Sam had said before he left _I have to fix this._ Dean wondered what Sam meant by it. He brushed this from his mind for the time being and focused on Emma.

"Emma's awake." Bobby said, putting the phone on the dashboard of the truck. Sam sighed "He's just trying to guilt trip me." "Dean wouldn't do that." Bobby said. "Well you don't know him very well then." Sam said. "So where are we going anyway?" Bobby asked. "Crossroads." Sam said, without breaking his view of the road. "Is it just me or do you Winchesters think that making deals with demons is the only way to solve your problems?" Bobby said. "It works doesn't it?" Sam said, sarcastically. "You know what would work? A swift kick in the ass." Bobby said sarcastically back. Sam just laughed and continued to drive.

Sam pulled into a crossroads, and parked the truck. "Just um, take a couple spins around the block. This won't take long." Sam said, handing Bobby the keys to his truck, looking like he was scared, but also looked partially happy, knowing that what he was about to do would help his brother and niece. Bobby didn't want Sam to make the deal, but he knew Sam wouldn't want him to make a deal for on of his mistakes. Sam had to own up to it, at least that's what Sam thought. Sam grabbed a box from the center console of the truck and got out of the car. Bobby could only watch, afraid of what would happen to Sam. After Sam got put of the car, he waved and Bobby nodded then started the truck.

Waiting until Bobby was gone, Sam buried the box, and waited for the demon to appear. "Why hello Sammy." the demon said from behind him. Sam turned around, to see a very pretty, young, woman in a slinky black dress and piercing red eyes. "Good to see you Sammy. You are the only Winchester I haven't seen wanting to make a deal, but I guess that's changed now." she said, giving a small laugh. "So why exactly are you here, Sammy?" she asked. Sam was getting annoyed that she kept calling him Sammy but he let it go. "I want Emma out of her deal. I want the ten years and her and Dean off the hook." Sam said. "You think it's that easy?" she said, walking up to him. "I'm hoping it is." Sam said, trying to keep this deal strictly business. "Sammy, your so serious. Why don't you try to loosen up a little bit." she said, putting her hand on Sam's face and patting him on the cheek, then smiling maliciously "So you basically want Emma's deal, and Emma get's to live her life, full and free? I have a slight problem there." she said. "And what would that be?" Sam said, staring at her, bent on getting the deal made. "You really are that dense. Do you honestly think that i'm going to let you, Sam Winchester, make a deal to save your niece? When it's your fault she made the deal in the first place?" the demon said whispering into Sam's ear as if telling him a great secret. "That's what you did for Emma and Dean." Sam said. The demon walked behind Sam, and he turned around to face her. "Do you Winchesters think you can keep making deals until one of you dies of old age? Hell you'd probably make a deal then too." she said "Honestly Sammy, that's not going to happen. Not on my watch. So why don't you turn around and walk away. And watch your niece die, slowly, and painfully." she said, starting to walk away. Sam, starting to get frantic, finally spoke "You don't even have to give me a year. You can take me right now." Sam said. The demon walked back up to him. "Oyo, as tempting as that sounds...no. I'd rather see you suffer, by watching Emma die. So if that's all you wanted then you might as well leave." she said. Sam didn't know what else to say to change her mind. He hung his head down, trying to think of anything that would change her mind. He looked back up and saw the demon was gone. Sam felt like he failed Emma, and Dean. He saw a light shining on him and realized it was the headlights on Bobby's truck. He walked back towards the truck and climbed in. "How long ya got?" Bobby asked him. "It didn't make the deal. Emma's still got ten years." Sam said, looking over at Bobby. His eyes were troubled, like he was trying so hard to fight back sadness. "Emma's gonna die Bobby, and it's my fault." Sam said. "Let's just go back to the hospital." Sam finished. Bobby gave Sam a sorrowful look, then put the car in drive and headed for the hospital.

The silence in the car was deafening on the ride back to the hospital. Sam didn't look at Bobby, he just continued to stare blankly out the windshield at the headlights hitting the road. It was around 7:10am when they got back to the hospital. Sam was reluctant to go inside, he didn't want to face Dean, and Emma. "She's gonna die Bobby, and it's all my fault." Sam said, slamming his hands on the hood in frustration. "Why don't you go on and get inside." Bobby said. "What? Bobby what are you going to do?" Sam asked. "Never mind that just get inside." Bobby said. Sam didn't argue, even though he knew what Bobby was about to do. He nodded and gave Bobby a thankful look. Bobby nodded back and climbed into his truck. Sam headed back inside the hospital.

He walked into Emma's room. Emma was asleep and Dean was sitting in the chair next to her bed. Dean looked up and saw Sam come in. He gave him a saddened look. Thinking Sam had made a deal. "How long did you get?" Dean asked. "It didn't make the deal for me. Emma's still got ten years." Sam said, bowing down his head. "Thanks. I know you tried." Dean said, not really looking at his brother. Sam doing the same. "So how's she doing?" Sam asked, walking over to the side of the bed. "She's woken up a couple times. Then just gone back to sleep." Dean said. "I think it's the pain killers or the anesthesia hasn't worn off yet or something." he finished, trying to lighten the mood a little. Sam didn't really say anything "How did you know I was going to the crossroads?" Sam asked. "It doesn't take a genius to put it together Sammy. What? You think being dead for eleven years made me rusty? I can't tell you enough how..." Dean sighed "much I wanna thank you for what you were trying to do, I mean she's like a daughter to you, but Sam it's not you that should be dead, it's me. I'm the one that has to get her out of this deal. Not you." Dean said. Sam looked over at Emma lying in the bed, asleep. "Where's Bobby?" Dean asked. "I don't know he dropped me off here then took off." Sam said, knowing what Bobby was doing, but was to desperate to get Emma out of her deal to stop him. "Took off where?" Dean asked. "I don't know." Sam said, trying to convince Dean. "He went to make a deal didn't he?" Dean said, lowering his head, hoping that's not what Bobby went to do. "Yeah, he did." Sam said lowering his eyes to the floor. "Why didn't you stop him?!" Dean said. "I don't know." Sam said, he sounded tired and guilty for not stopping Bobby. "Call him see if he's made the deal yet. Tell him to get his ass back here now." Dean said. Sam pulled out his phone and dialed Bobby. It had been over an hour since he left, Dean and Sam were both worried he had made the deal already. "He's not answering." Sam said, putting his phone down. Emma opened her eyes again, this time looking more aware and awake than she was the last couple times she woke up. "Uncle Sam?" Emma wrote on the board, looking over at Sam. Dean and Sam stopped what they were doing and focused on Emma. "Hey Em." Sam said, happy to see her awake. Emma looked confused, she could tell her uncle and dad looked upset. "What's wrong?" Emma wrote, she was starting to get the hang of writing on the board, even if it did hurt. "Nothing Em." Sam said Emma looked confused. "Really Emma it's nothing. Just worried about ya that's all." Dean said, trying to cover the lie as well. Sam and Dean decided to wait until Bobby came back, if he came back, to talk about it some more. They took seats next to Emma's bed, hoping Bobby would call.


	5. Chapter 5

Emma had woken up around 9:00 that morning, Sam and Dean were both asleep, tired from being up all night the night before. Sam was in the bed and Dean in the chair. This had been arranged through a rock, paper, scissors match. Dean started moving around in the chair trying to get comfortable and was tired of trying to get to sleep so he sat up. He grabbed Sam and Emma's phones off the nightstand to see if Bobby had left any messeges. Nothing. Dean sighed, he saw Emma open her eyes. "Hey." Dean said, setting both phones down on the nightstand. "You gonna stay awake this time or are you going back to sleep?" Dean said in a joking way. Emma smiled. "It's good to see you smile." Dean said, pulling the chair up next to the bed. There was an awkward silence. "So...so how have things been going?" Dean asked, trying to break the silence. Emma just gave him a confused look "I mean like before all of this happend." Dean said, putting an emphasis on the word _this_. "Fine" Emma wrote on the dry-erase board. "Come on you gotta give me more than that. How'd you grow up? Your uncle take care of you?" Dean asked. "Yeah." Emma wrote. Sam rolled over in his bed and opened his eyes. "Why don't we pick this back up when you can talk." Dean said, giving her a half smile. Emma nodded then looked over at her uncle, who had sat up in his bed. "You guys already awake?" Sam asked, looking at the clock which said 9:02. "Yeah well I need to talk to you." Dean said, getting up and walking towards the door. Sam rubbed his eyes and followed. Dean and Sam walked out of the room and shut the door. "Bobby hasn't called, left a messege, or anything. He could be dead, we have to go look for him." Dean said. "You go, i'll stay with Emma." Sam said "Yeah, just call me if anything happens." Dean said, then walked away, and Sam went back into Emma's room. Dean realized he doesn't have a car, or a cell phone. He walked back into the room. "I need a knife, a lock picking kit, and Emma's phone." Dean said. Emma looked confused but decided not ask. Sam tossed them to him and Dean walked out the door, giving a small salute to Sam as he did. He went out to the parking lot and looked for a car to "borrow". He found this nice little mustang and figured that'd be a nice car until he got the impala fixed. He picked the look and hot wired the car, then took off to find Bobby.

Dean was traveling on the backroads, looking for any signs of a crossroads. So far he was getting no where, he turned on the radio. "In news today..." the radio dj started. "The body of a man was found near Lincolnson Crossroads." this caught Dean's attention and he turned up the radio. "The man looked to be in his 50's with. The man was found by two teenagers who had gone to the supposedly haunted crossroads. The police are still trying to figure out the man's identity. If you have any information please call the Sioux County Police Department. In other news how your next trip to that salad bar could be your last. The story after these messeges." the dj said, then commercials started to play. Dean turned off the radio and headed for the Lincolnson Crossroads.

There was a silence in the hospital room. Emma and Sam both didn't know what to say to each other. Then Emma pulle dout the dry erase board and wrote on it. "Bobby? Dad?" she wrote, wondering where Bobby was, and what her dad was up to. Saqm was hesitant to answer but then "Bobby left and Dean went to find him." he said, taking a seat next to Emma's bed. "Deal?" she wrote. "I don't know." Sam lied. Emma didn't know what else to ask her uncle. She wandered her eyes across the room and stopped on the tv. She pressed the remote button on her bed and turned it on. She flipped through the channels until she found something to watch. "One Tree Hill?" Sam said sarcastically. Emma rolled her eyes and smiled then focused her attention on the tv.

Dean had made it to Lincolnson Crossroads. There were two police cars, and an ambulance. He parked the mustang about 50 yards from them and crouched behind some bushes so he could see what was going on. He sat there a couple of hours and the police cars finally left, they had taped off the crime scene with yellow tape. He waited to make sure they didn't come back, then walked to into the middle of the crossroads. He lloked around, and didn't see Bobby;s truck. He didn't know if the police had towed it or not, but if Bobby was coming here to die he would have hid it somewhere. That much Dean did know. He went back to the car. He started on the road looking for anywhere Bobby could have hid the truck.

"So Dan killed his brother, Keith. And now he wants to be with Karen who was Keith's fiance?!" Sam said, sounding surprised and interested in the show. Emma nodded. "What a jackass!" Sam said. Him and Emma both laughed. That one hour of television had seemed to lighten the mood for a little while. Emma coughed a small cough, then had a blank stare at the wall. "Em you ok?" Sam asked her. Emma couldn't break her attention from the wall. Her eyes started to slowly close and her head fell to the side. The heart monitor went flat. Sam ran outside to the nurses station. They paged Dr. Baker and he came. Sam was about to go in the room to see if Emma would be ok but the nurses stopped him. Sam's mind was racing as he thought what could be happening to her. He didn't want to think that his niece was dying and that there was nothing he could do. He could hear the word 'Clear' being yelled from the room and the sound of a defibrillator. Emma's room door suddenly opened and the doctors were wheeling her out in the bed and rushed her down the hall. Sam grabbed the doctor by the arm "What's going on!?" Sam asked, worried about Emma. "We're going to do everything we can." the doctor said then rushed down the hall and caught up with the rest of the nurses and doctors surronding Emma's bed. They rounded a corner and Sam lost sight. He felt like he had been punched in the stomach repeatedly, and sat down before he lost his balance, and rested his head in his hands. "She can't die. God just let her be ok, please." Sam said, praying. A couple of tears had fallen down his face. He pulled out his phone and called Dean.

Dean answered the phone "Sam?" he said. "Dean!" Sam said. Hearing the worried tone in Sam's voice "Is Emma ok?" Dean asked, just as worried about her. "I don't know, they rushed her out of the room I think to surgery." Sam said. "Have you found Bobby?" Sam asked. Dean thought before he spoke, he didn't want to tell him Bobby was dead, he didn't want to put that stress on his brother. "Uh no..not yet." Dean lied. "I'm on my way back Sammy, i'll be there in a few." Dean said "Ok." Sam said, then hung up.

Dean sighed. He looked up at Bobby's truck, he saw something taped to the windshield of it. He looked at it and cocked his head to the side, then walked towards Bobby's truck. He opened the door and grabbed the envelope of the windshield. It had "Sam and Dean" written on the front. He looked at the envelope for a few seconds then tucked it safe inside his pocket. He went back to the car and headed for the hospital

Dean rushed into the hospital. Sam was sitting in the waiting like the night before. "Is she ok?" Dean asked "I don't know, they haven't told me anything. She's been in there for over 3 hours, I mean she could be...she could..." Sam couldn't bring himself to say the word _dead_. "She's going to be ok Sammy." Dean said, trying to comfort his brother. "Did you find Bobby?" Sam asked. Dean hesitated for a moment then replied "No, I didn't. After Em's better i'll go look some more." he didn't want to put anymore stress on Sam. He couldn't bear to tell him Bobby was dead, not now. He took a seat next to his saddened brother. "So...what exactly happened? I mean before they took her to surgery?" Dean asked. "I don't know, she coughed then had this blank expression on her face. And her eyes just closed and then her heart stopped. Then they took her to surgery." Sam said, he looked sedate, the only thing on his mind was if Emma and if she was going to be ok. He was also worried about Bobby, _I should have stopped him_ Sam thought. "I'm gonna go grab some coffee." Dean said, gettimg up and walking away. The letter fell out of his pocket. Sam looked up and saw it hit the ground, his and Dean's names were face up. Sam curiously looked at the letter then picked it up off the floor. "What the?" Sam said, looking at the letter. Dean had walked far enough that Sam couldn't ask him about it. He was trying to decide whether to open it or not. Dean came back with two cups of coffee, and handed one to Sam. "What's this?" Sam asked holding the letter up. Dean lowered his eyes to the floor. "What is it?" Sam asked again. "It was taped on Bobby's windshield." Dean said. "Did you find Bobby?" Sam asked. Dean bowed his head back down. "Is Bobby ok?" Sam asked. Dean sighed "No Sammy he's not. He's um...he's dead." Dean finally said. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Sam said, angry at Dean for keeping this from him. "Have you read this?" Sam asked, holding the letter up again. "No, not yet." Dean said. Sam glared at Dean, trying to take in the fact that Bobby was dead. He sighed and handed the letter to Dean "You read it." he said. Dean looked at the letter, wanting to know what's inside, but at the same time not wanting to know what Bobby had written. He turned it around to the backside of the envelope and started opening it. "Winchester?" Dean and Sam heard their last name and rushed over to the doctor. "How is she?" Sam eagerly asked. "She's stable, now. It was pretty touch and go for a while but we managed to patch her up." Doctor Baker said "What exactly happened?" Dean asked. "When we set her ribs one of them didn't set right. And with her moving around maybe tossing and turning in the middle of the night, thrust it into her heart. It was only a small puncture which is why we didn't know about it. We managed to fix the damage, but it's still going to going to be a fight for her. There was alot of internal bleeding, and that damaged her heart alot, but I think she's going to pull through. When she wakes up we can evaluate it better, but I don't want to promise you anything." Doctor Baker finished. "Thanks." Dean said.Doctor Baker nodded and then walked away. "Come on let's go see her." Dean said. "Yeah." Sam barely spoke. Sam walked towards Emma's room. Dean stayed behind, and looked at the letter. Sam came back around the corner "You coming?" he asked. "Yeah." Dean said, he tucked the letter in his pocket and followed Sam.

Sam and Dean walked into Emma's room. Dean ran his hand through his hair "I wish Liz was here." Dean said going over to the window and moving the blinds over to look out the window. "She'd keep me from falling apart right now." he finished, stepping away from the window and looking at Emma. "She looks so much like her." Dean sighed. Sam could tell Dean was hurting, not only at the loss of Elizabeth, but he was afraid he was going to lose Emma too. "She's going to be ok Dean." Sam said. "You don't know that Sam." Dean said. "I mean we thought she was going to be ok before and look what happened!" Dean finished. "Dean..." Sam started "What? Sammy, she could die. Bobby shouldn't have died for no reason she needs to be able to live her life!" Dean said. "Dean I know what you're going through I do but..." Sam started. "But what Sam? How do you know what this feels like?" Dean said, not expecting much of a reply from Sam. "Jess, Mom, Dad, You, and now Bobby. Yeah Dean I know exactly what you're going through right now. But you havn't had to feel the pain of losing your brother. So yeah Dean...I do know what it feels like." Sam said. A nurse walked in and bothe brothers went silent. "Sounds like quite a showdown in here." she said, checking Emma's vitals. After writing a few things down on her clipboard she left the room. "Dean can we not fight anymore?" Sam asked his brother "Ever since you came back, we've been at each others throats. And I don't even know why. So can we just stop...please." Sam said. Dean just nodded his head, he didn't want to fight anymore either. "I'm gonna go grab some coffee." Dean said. "Ok." Sam said, Him and Dean exchanged a agreeing look that they both finally understood what the other was going through.

Dean and Sam had endured a four hour silence in Emma's room. The beeping of Emma's heart monitor was the only sound in the room. Emma blinked her eyes open. Sam noticed and raised up his tired head. "Emma?" he said. Dean heard Sam and woke himself up as well. Emma opened her eyes and glanced over at Dean, then Sam. She couldn't feel the respirator tube in her throat anymore. She tried to talk "What happend?" she asked, her voice was raspy and weak. "You had a scare but your fine now." Dean said, relieved to see his daughter's hazel eyes again. "How you feeling?" Sam asked. Emma paused for a second, it took her a moment to think of words to say. "I'm thirsty." she finally spoke. Sam reached for the cup of water on the table and put the straw up to Emma's mouth. After Emma took a couple sips she shook her head and Sam put the cup down. "I'm gonna go get the doctor." Dean said, getting up and leaving the room. He and Doctor Baker walked back in a few moments later. "Hi Emma." Doctor Baker said. "How are you feeling?" he asked. Emma didn't really respond, she just looked at him, weak eyed. "Do you know what happened to you?" he asked her, shining a small pen light into her eyes. "No." she said. "Well when we set your ribs one of them didn't set right and punctured your heart. And you already know what happend to you before with the car accident, right?" Doctor Baker asked her. Emma nodded. "I'll be back in a couple hours to check on you alright." he said, putting on a happy tone. Emma smiled slightly, and the doctor left the room. "Where's Bobby?" Emma asked. Sam and Dean both looked away. "What?" Emma asked, her voice sounding more weak than before. Dean and Sam still didn't answer. Emma started to shake her head, not wanting to believe it. "Uncle Sam...is Bobby...dead?" Emma asked. Sam looked around the room, trying as hard as he could to avoid the subject. "Uncle Sam." Emma said, pushing the subject. "Yeah Emma." Sam barely spoke. Emma sat there for a moment trying to let it sink in. "How?" she finally asked. "We don't know exactly...atleast not yet." Sam said, looking over at Dean. Dean got the hint and pulled the letter out of his pocket, he looked at his and Sam's names on it, then slowly opened it. "If your reading this i'm already dead." Dean read aloud. "And before you start asking questions, yes Emma is out of her deal. Her and Dean get to live out the rest of their lives. Let me tell you, them devil's traps really do come in handy. Boys there's something else I have to tell you. This is really something I should have told you sooner...i've had the colt for some time now. It's not important how I got it all that's important is that you go and kill the Yellow-Eyed Demon. I don't know why the thing has laid low for the past 11 years but with Dean alive it's only a matter of time before he comes after you three. I'm not going to tell you where it is in this letter, because it could fall into the wrong hands. Just go to my house. Boys don't feel sorry for me because i'm gone, you have been like sons to me. Bobby." Dean finished the letter and all three of them were silent. "We should get to Bobby's before any demons get that colt." Dean said. "Dean we can't leave." Sam said. Dean looked back at Emma in the hospital bed "You stay here, i'll get the colt and come back here." Dean said. "Dean, where ever Bobby hid that gun it's definatly protected. We can find it when Emma's better." Sam said "I'm fine." Emma said, sitting herself up in the bed, trying not show she was in pain. "No Em' you're not. I don't know if you know this, but you just had heart surgery...you're not fine." Sam said. Emma sighed. "Sam we have to get that gun." Dean said. "I think you're daughter's more imprtant than that gun Dean." Sam said. Dean walked away from the door and back over to his chair.


	6. Chapter 6

"You sure you're ok?" Dean asked, helping Emma to the car. "I'm fine dad, really." Emma said, brushing his hand of her arm. She was still week from being bed ridden for the past two weeks, but she was starting to get her strength back. "This will have to do have to do until we get the impala up and running." Dean said, putting a bag into the back of Bobby's truck. Emma had managed to climb into the middle seat of the truck and laid her head back on the seat. Sam walked out of the hospital carrying another bag. He looked at Emma, whose eyes were closed, she looked like she was trying to take in everything in. They saw her take a deep breath then puff it out and sat her head back up. "You think the colt's still there?" Sam asked. "I hope it is." Dean said. Him and Sam climbed into the truck, Dean on the driver's side and Sam on the passenger's side. "You ok Em?" Sam asked her, she looked like she was in pain. "Yeah I'm fine, just all this moving around I guess." she said, with a small wince as a sharp pain surged through her. "I'm fine, really." Emma insisted. Sam and Dean shared a concerned look. Dean started the truck and they went to Bobby's.

Sam helped Emma out of the truck, Dean got out and pulled the letter out of his pocket. "Well Bobby we're here...now what?" Dean said, putting the letter back in his pocket. "Where do we start?" Sam asked, as he and Emma walked up to Dean. "Let's just go ahead and find it." Emma said, walking into the house. "What's with her?" Dean asked. "I don't know." Sam said. They both followed Emma into the house.

"The man was a genius, but did you ever think he was _too_ good at the job?" Dean said, trying to figure out where Bobby hid the colt. "I'll take the back." Sam said. "I'll start in here. Em, why don't you try the kitchen." Dean said. Emma nodded and went into the kitchen. Dean sighed heavily and started looking for the colt, He looked through every book that looked big enough to hide the colt, thinking there would be a cut out hole, but there wasn't. Sam was in the back room looking through more books and stacks of ammo boxes. "Come on Bobby where'd you hide it?" Sam asked out loud, hoping for some kind of answer. He tripped over a latch on the floor and looked down "What the..?" he said, kneeling down onto the floor, and brushing the dust away. He pulled the latch up, opened the trap door, and climbed down.

Emma was searching through the kitchen cabinets and started to feel faint, she sat down on the floor to keep her from falling. Sitting down she felt one of the tiles move on the floor.

flashback  
Emma was lying on the couch, coloring, she was staying with Bobby until her uncle came back for her. She heard a clanging noise in the kitchen and went to check it out "Uncle Bobby, what are you doing?" a small, 8 year old Emma asked. "Come here." Bobby motioned for her to come into the kitchen. He kneeled down onto the floor, to Emma's eye level, and slid a tile off of he floor and pulled a gun out. Emma looked puzzled. "Don't tell your uncle Sam this, ok? But just incase you or him ever need this, it's safe in here ok." Bobby said. "What is it?" Emma asked. "It's a gun your dad lost, but it's in here only if you need it, ok?" Bobby said. Emma nodded. '

flashback over

Emma lifted the tile off the floor and the colt was resting in a cobweb filled hole. She pulled it out and stared at it "Does this count as needing it Bobby?" Emma said, with a small laugh. Dean glanced into the kitchen and saw Emma sitting on the floor with the colt in her hand. "You found it." Dean said, walking into the kitchen. "Where was it?" Dean asked, helping Emma off the floor. "Bobby told me." Emma said "What?" Dean asked, confused. "A long time ago, he showed me where he hid it. It's been here all these years I guess." Emma said, she handed Dean the gun. Dean gave Emma this proud smile and Emma smiled back. "Hey guys, look at this." Sam said, walking into the kitchen, holding a rather large book. "What's that?" Dean asked "It's a photo album." Sam said, handing the book to Dean. "Did you find the colt?" Sam asked, looking at the gun in Dean's hand. "Yeah, Emma found it." Dean said. "Where'd you find this?" Dean asked, flipping through the album. He came to a stop on a picture of him and John. Dean looked at the picture, it was of him and John when he was about 12. Under the picture of him and John was a picture of him and Emma. He was holding a four month old Emma is his arms, smiling proudly. He started to think about the deal John had made for him, and how he had made the same deal for Emma. He realized that Emma never knew John, not really anyway. She had met him a couple times but for the most part she was with her mother, and not on the road with Dean. "Is that me?" Emma asked, pointing at the picture. "Yeah that's you. You couldn't have been more than a few months old there." Dean said, and smiled. Emma smiled back. "I love you, dad." Emma said. "Love you too, Em." Dean said back. "Well isn't that a sweet Hallmark moment." Sam said, with a smile. "Eleven years and you're still the same pain in the ass little brother." Dean said, smiling back. "So what do we do now?" Sam asked. "Now that we have the colt, I say we go hunt down that evil sonofabitch." Dean said, and smirked. The three Winchesters went out to Bobby's truck and squeezed in, the truck was a less than comfortable fit. "So how long until the impala's fixed?" Emma asked. "About a week...or two." Dean said. "Great." Emma said. Dean just shook his head and smirked, then started the truck and pulled onto the road.

**The End**


End file.
